Blind in the Light
by PartHistory
Summary: Madara sees through Black Zetsu's plan and everything falls apart. Naruto dies, achieving none of his dreams. But this is only the beginning; He is sent back to change everything. But, he begins to realize just how blind to the world around him he was. The mysteries of the Shinobi world run deeper than he ever imagined. Time Travel story. Naruto/Fem Haku (Female In this timeline).
1. Chapter 1

_The Uzumaki have a myth that they pass down to the head of the clan, generation after generation. They say that Kami, before the time of the sage, battled Death. Death had determined that humanity wished to die, and it ventured to grant its wishes. Kami, the true God, stopped it by sealing Death with Her divine spear, throwing it to the planet creating an eternal whirlpool. It is said that the Uzumaki were gifted the knowledge of this event and entrusted with overseeing Death, lest humanity obtains power beyond its interests to posses. I was told that this story is a fabrication. I agree that it is, however, I often wonder if there was truly no truth to the story I was so often regaled with as a child. The world of the Shinobi is a world that is shrouded in secrecy, but it is the history beyond the birth of Shinobi that truly eludes me. (Uzumaki Asahi, The Truth of the Shinobi World)_

Naruto and the others looked at the result of the Infinite Tsukiyomi and gaped. Madara's plan had succeeded. The entire world had fallen under the influence of an eternal illusion. A landscape that had just been filled with the cries of battle, then by the rising wood needed for the Infinite Tsukiyomi, was ominous in its total silence. Even though the entire world united, a few people were all was left standing between Madara and his plan.

Naruto's attention snapped to Black Zetsu when he let out a cry of pain, wade even more striking by the sudden silence.

"Madara, what are you doing…?" Zetsu choked out, shocked at the turn of events.

"Did you believe I wouldn't notice you approaching me with killer intent? Pitiful," Madara said as Obito's body exploded in a torrent of blood, grasped in the hand of a Susanoo that seemed to form instantaneously.

"No!" Zetsu cried desperately. "Kaguya must come back! I've worked for so long!"

"If that's how it was, it's your fault for stumbling at the finish line. This is your punishment for defying Madara Uchiha!"

Several black orbs floated in front of Madara and he motioned with his hand in silent command. He sent several Truth-Seeking Orbs directly into Zetsu and Obito, bound together as they were, causing both to evaporate into a cloud of black dust.

Kakashi winced. "Obito…"

Naruto could only watch in disbelief. "They had a falling out at this stage?"

"No," Sasuke said. "He mentioned Kaguya. That's the person the sage mentioned. She was the Sage of Six Paths' mother."

Had Zetsu tried to betray him for this 'Kaguya' person? But Madara saw it coming because he sensed killing intent. That may be his countless battles giving him a sensitivity to bloodlust, or maybe he recently obtained the Kyuubi's ability to sense negative emotion. The last thing he needed was for him to start inheriting the Jinchūriki abilities.

Madara shifted his gaze to then and they all took an involuntary step back.

"Come now, have you all lost your nerve?" Madara taunted.

Sakura, baited by his words, charged Madara again, hoping to create an opening.

"Sakura, wait!" Sasuke demanded, taking off after her alongside Naruto.

Madara appeared in front of her at incredible speed and stabbed her through the heart with a sword made from a Truth-Seeking Orb. Almost immediately, her body began disintegrating.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted as Madara waved his hand, sending black spears at him and Sasuke.

Naruto batted the spears away and Sasuke did the same, but they weren't fast enough and Kakashi took a lethal blow to the heart, stabbed by the hand of Madara's Limbo. Kakashi choked on blood and fell backward as Madara's Limbo Clone pulled his hand out of his chest with a sickening sound.

The world seemed to slow down. Naruto reeled as two of his most precious people died right in front of him. His eyes narrowed and he felt an incredible fury build. "Kakashi-sensei!"

"**Calm down, Naruto! You have to keep your head on straight if you want any chance to survive," **Kurama advised.

Naruto clenched his fist.

"You bastard!" Surprisingly, the emotional response didn't come from Naruto, but from Sasuke.

Naruto looked at Sasuke and saw emotional agony etched across his features.

"Hahaha…HAHAHAHAHA!" Madara laughed uproariously. "I'm done playing with you both. It's time I demonstrate how outclassed you really are."

Madara made one simple hand seal. "Wood Style: Multi Wood Clone Jutsu."

Wood grew from Madara's body at a worrying rate, breaking off and forming many Clones of Madara. One by one the Clones formed, as Sasuke and Naruto watched in silent horror until Madara had created a small army. At least 100 wood Clones scattered the battlefield.

Naruto and Sasuke began sweating nervously, each trying desperately to think up a way to win.

Madara saw their reaction and smirked. "You still don't quite understand. They all have access to my abilities."

Almost simultaneously, the Clones produced their own Perfect Susanoo. Naruto, in a rare moment of weakness, felt all the hope drain from him.

"If he has all of his abilities…" Naruto said fearfully.

"You caught on, Naruto," Madara said, sounding impressed. "They can all use my Rinnegan abilities and…they can also use Limbo."

Sasuke fell to his knees, realizing the futility of the battle ahead. "No way. Even though we gained so much power…"

Madara developed an expression that teetered on boredom but had an underlying pity. "I'll only make you fight…let's say five at a time. There's no reason to make this battle unsportsmanlike."

Five Susanoo stepped forward. They began marching forward, the distance between them and their targets short and growing shorter.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted hurriedly.

Sasuke stood, a face of concentration marred by anger and doubt; an expression mirrored on Naruto's face. "I know."

They separated and gained enough distance from each other to unleash their respective full power. A mass of purple shot out of Sasuke as he created his own Perfect Susanoo, and the Kyuubi's chakra created a massive construct around Naruto in the form of a giant fox; his Tailed Beast Mode.

Dense chakra gathered in front of Naruto as he fired several Bijudama at the two Clones coming for him. Both Susanoo cut through one Bijudama each but the last hit the Susanoo on the right. A spherical explosion engulfed the chakra giant and the Clone on the left continued his pursuit unabated.

The Susanoo stopped in front of him and he prepared to dodge the sword it levied. A blue explosion rocked Naruto, making him lose concentration long enough for the Clone in front of him to lop off the left arm of his Tailed Beast Mode.

Naruto grunted and gasped when he saw the sword cut through one of Kurama's legs. The Susanoo punched Naruto into the air, flinging him back a decent distance.

Naruto, thinking on his feet, broke down his Tailed Beast Mode and quickly reformed it standing upright with all its limbs intact. All four sets of claws dug into the ground to slow Naruto's velocity. After a few seconds, Naruto had stopped completely. He saw what caused the blue explosion: The fifth Susanoo that had been fighting Sasuke switched its target to him, shooting several Yasaka Magatama at him. It ripped his Kurama imitation up, entire pieces of it missing.

Naruto looked at Sasuke and grimaced. The purple Susanoo that belonged to Sasuke had collected an assortment of cuts and explosion damage. One of its wings was completely gone.

At this rate, they would never win. They needed to push themselves to their absolute limits. But how could they…?

A stroke of brilliance. "Sasuke, get ready! We have to combine again! I've got an idea! Hold them all off for a few seconds!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in doubt but decided to trust him. Naruto had a strange ability to pull hat tricks in the midst of combat. He gathered an incredible amount of chakra around his Susanoo and the air began to heat. "Susanoo: Chidori Nagashi!"

A Chidori formed in the Susanoo's right hand and it smashed its hand into the ground. Lightning ripped the ground apart, creating massive craters in front of Sasuke. The Chidori traveled through the ground, hitting all five Susanoo and scorching the earth a striking red.

While this happened, Naruto made a cross handseal and his Kurama construct mimicked him. Two Clones of the entire construct poofed into existence with a cloud of smoke. They all three floated into the air, crossed their legs in a meditative position, and began circling each other in a synchronized swirl.

The forms of each became indistinguishable from each other as they combined in a flash of yellow light. Out of the light emerged one Kurama construct with six arms and three heads. "Asura Kurama!"

Sasuke turned and threw his Susanoo's blade in the direction of Naruto. Madara's Susanoo both cut into Sasuke's, cutting bisecting it at the waist, but Sasuke used his Rinnegan to teleport what was left of his Susanoo to the position of the sword he threw.

Naruto caught his Susanoo and it dissolved as Sasuke jumped to Asura Kurama's head to join Naruto.

"When did you learn something like this?" Sasuke wondered after reaching Naruto.

"I just kind of did it. Just like when I healed Kakashi's eye."

Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh and created a Susanoo armor for Asura Kurama. The entire Bijuu imitation was coated in purple, ethereal armor. Its heads had ornate samurai-Esque closed helmets, with only the middle one being open.

Before Madara could react, the middle arm on Asura Kurama's left side held a Rasengan while the other two arms shaped it and imbued it with wind chakra. A massive Rasenshuriken formed while powerful Bijudama formed in the mouths of all three heads, the armor on the left and right head opening.

"What are you planning, exactly?" Sasuke questioned.

Naruto, as quickly as he could, told Sasuke his part in the plan. His eyes lit up with understanding. "I got it."

"Let's do this!" Naruto said.

Two purple swords formed in the top two arms of Kurama's right side and a Chidori formed in the bottom arm's hand. The bottom arm threw its sword at the five Susanoo they were fighting.

The front Susanoo casually dodged the thrown weapon as Madara wondered where the attack was going. The sword vanished without warning, replaced by Asura Kurama's intimidating figure. The bottom-right arm pierced the ground with its Chidori as Sasuke called out "Chidori Nagashi!"

While the five Susanoo were hit by a wave of electricity, Asura Kurama slashed in a circle, cutting through the heads of the Susanoo and killing the Clones inside. In an instant, all five Clones were destroyed, leaving Madara to whistle in appreciation.

But the attack was far from over. Naruto and Sasuke threw their last sword in the direction of the horde of Susanoo, teleporting long before the sword ever reached them. It constructed a second Rasenshuriken that was mixed with a Bijudama and threw both. Right after the throw, Sasuke created a sword and encased it in Amaterasu.

"Rikudou: Cho Odama Rasenshuriken!" _(Six Paths: Ultra Big Ball Rasenshuriken)_

The two Rasneshuriken attacks met in the center of Madara's Clone army and combined to create a gargantuan explosion that easily covered all the Susanoo in a fiery blaze. Naruto and Sasuke shot the three Bijudama at the original Madara and used the time he took deflecting them to get close and swing the Amaterasu covered sword.

'_Tch, these children. That whole show just to get a shot at me,' _Madara thought as he dodged to the side. He was shocked as another blade came for him from the direction he was dodging in.

'_They created another sword after they shot the Bijudama!'_

"Almighty Push!"

Madara used his Almighty push to deflect the blade so he could create some distance. "I've been too soft on you!"

The few Clone Susanoo that remained gathered around Madara while he created his own Perfect Susanoo. "I'll show you my power. The power of God!"

His Susanoo morphed and grew, changing its features to become more sinister. Its mouth leaked blue chakra, appearing as flames, almost as if it was breathing fire. Six blue swords grew from its back and a third red eye formed on its forehead. Instead of a sword, it formed a three-pronged trident.

"Susanoo-no-Okami!" (Great God Susanoo)

Naruto and Sasuke were almost crushed in the presence of the Susanoo. Even with the amped Asura Kurama, fighting that monster seemed hopeless. They were both already pushing past their limits, which made it even more disheartening when the Limbo Clones created their own Perfect Susanoo. They probably lost their chance when they caught him off guard with their attack.

"So, is he going all out yet?" Sasuke joked without any humor in his voice.

"This is the Susanoo that rules all others," Madara said. "Your time inconveniencing me is at its end."

They both tried their best to keep up with the Perfect Susanoo as they all attacked at once, but it was impossible. Blades, some visible and some not, cut through Asura Kurama despite the Susanoo armor slowing them down somewhat. A Rasengan formed in one hand, drilling into a Susanoo, as a Chidori formed in another only for the arm holding it to be lopped off.

Suddenly, all the Perfect Susanoo backed off and Susanoo-no-Okami entered a battle-ready stance. It vanished as both of Asura Kurama's legs were lost. It reappeared, two black orbs forming in front of it. The orbs sped forward and separated before contact, splitting into three spears each that annihilated the arms, along with a portion of the torso.

Susanoo-no-Okami leveled its trident and drove down onto the head. A flash of light followed as Asura Kurama lost its form completely. Naruto managed to get Sasuke out with quick thinking and Shadow Clones, but he lost his left arm in the process.

Naruto cradled the bloody stump where his arm used to be and winced in pain. He turned to Sasuke and saw him sporting a few new burns.

"We haven't been this over our heads since the Wave mission," Naruto commented nostalgically. Why did he think of that time again? He always found himself doing so. He promised himself that he would see Haku and Zabuza before he became Hokage.

"There's no Jōnin to bail us out this time, and no enemy that doesn't want to kill us," Sasuke said scathingly.

"There has to be a way out of this…The Sage? A seal for time travel? Seals can do pretty much anything, right?"

The disbelief that covered Sasuke's face might have made him laugh in any other situation. "You're resorting to science fiction to justify your stubbornness? We lost, Naruto. Unless you have another secret power I don't know about. He was stronger, so now it's his responsibility to shape the world."

"You can't be serious!"

"I'll join you soon, Brother…Father, Mother."

Madara swept the dust from his attack away. Upon seeing them, Madara and his clones sent a barrage of black spears at them. Naruto stood to get out of the way, but he flinched at the pain of his amputation; losing his chance to dodge.

He extended the chakra of the cloak on his arms to form a shield in front of him, but he knew it was useless. _'I'm sorry, everyone…'_

He shut his eyes in anticipation of the pain that would follow. Hearing the attack's impact but not feeling anything, he opened his eyes and gasped; Sasuke stood in front of him protectively with a partially formed Susanoo that had been mostly destroyed. The Susanoo ribcage had large cracks where the spears had almost broken through and gaps where they had. Sasuke's body was riddled with black spears, his body already disintegrating.

"Why…?" Naruto asked bewildered.

"My body moved on its own." He coughed up blood. "Maybe you can still find some way out of this. I…could never change it…you have to…for me…"

Sasuke Uchiha died. He wasn't sure what he was trying to say. A familiar feeling struck him as Naruto sunk to his knees, finally realizing the truth. Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke were all gone. He desperately wished he could talk to them. Why did it suddenly feel like there were so many things he wanted to say? A sense of loss and hopelessness overtook him, much like when Neji died. This time, however, the feeling was far greater.

He could feel his cloak dissipate. Was Sasuke thinking about that mission too? 'My body moved on its own.' Naruto always relied on the strength of others, but everyone was gone; either dead or in a permanent illusion. He looked at where Sasuke was and looked to where Sakura and Kakashi were.

'_At least Kakashi-sensei can still be buried. What would you say at a time like this, Haku? No, I already know. I still have precious things to protect and people to acknowledge me, right?'_

"**Naruto! After all this, are you giving up now? You heard that Uchiha brat, didn't you? He was entrusting his last hopes to you."**

Naruto's eyes widened before he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Yeah. Who would have thought you'd be giving me pep talks, Kurama?"

Kurama gave an indignant 'hmph,' and looked upward. **"All your wallowing, and he still hasn't attacked."**

A pulse of power reverberated through Naruto's being. It seemed to course through the world. It was chakra…Actually, it was different. An old, unknowable energy. He tried to stand, but he didn't have the strength. He pushed his body to get up, but it simply refused to do as he asked. He looked up, wondering why he hadn't been attacked yet.

Madara hadn't moved from his previous position. "Did you hear it, too, just now? That thrum of ancient power. It must be what I've craved all my life."

Madara shot a stream of purple lightning that left his mouth and hit Naruto's heart in the same second. Naruto's eyes widened and shut before he fell forward, taking his last breaths.

"**Naruto!" **

'That's it?' Naruto wondered. _'Why did it turn out this way? I never accomplished any of my dreams. Becoming Hokage, saving Sasuke, bringing peace…I let everyone down.'_

Vaguely, he acknowledged that thrum of power returning. It was old and powerful to a degree that Naruto felt he could never grasp or understand it. As he died, he saw the world light up. The ground appeared as though it was evaporating into wisps of light. He thought he might be hearing the fading yells of an enraged Madara. Naruto chalked it up to the delusion of a dying man and closed his eyes.

For what seemed like much longer than his dying body should allow, he laid on the ground. Finally, he opened his eyes again to note that he was surrounded by darkness. Or maybe, he simply couldn't perceive what was in front of him.

"You lasted longer than I expected," an unfamiliar, masculine voice admitted.

Naruto snapped to where he thought the voice was coming from. "Who's there…? Am I dead?"

"You're not in Pure World," the man admitted. "This place exists far past the concepts of time, matter, or reality. You might consider it a place in between what is thought and what is real."

Through the darkness, Naruto spotted a middle-aged man with blond hair in a ponytail. He was wearing plain black robes.

"What the hell are you talking about?" This was all going way over Naruto's head.

"Most don't understand these things at first. Rest assured, you will become familiar with the feeling of this place. I have brought you here to ask you one simple question, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Huh? Who the hell are you? How do you know my name?"

"I am the God that will offer you a chance to go back and fix everything. I offer you the chance to set everything right." The man took a deep breath. "But none of that matters now. To all who come here I pose one question: Do you wish to live?"

The man extended his hand, appearing genuinely interested in his response. Naruto, in a daze, grasped his hand. "Of course."

Relieved, the man smiled. "Great! The contract is sealed."

Naruto paled and pulled his hand away. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He didn't lose his smile. "It means everything and nothing. Though, you should note it will not restrict you at all. Your will to live is recognized. What you do now is up to you; Save the world, doom it, control it, or simply live in it. Although, this exchange itself has already made ripples."

"What are you talking about? Can't you just say somethin' straight!?"

The man had pity in his eyes as he sighed. "I'll send you back in time so you can save this sorry excuse of a timeline. Whether you do so, or whether you even try, is all up to you."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You expect me to believe that?"

The man chuckled. "That…does not concern me. It's time for you to return."

"I thought this place was beyond time?"

The man looked genuinely taken aback before he let out a bemused chuckle. "You caught me. I'm really just saying that I'm getting rid of you now."

"Wait!" Naruto demanded. "You never even said your name. How did you know who I was? Why are you doing this? _How _are you doing this?"

"My name is Jashin," the man said simply.

Suddenly, Jashin faded from view and Naruto could feel himself getting pulled violently. He screamed as his world lit up in an array of blinding colors, several of which he had never seen. An indescribable amount of energy pulsed, with a wave of vertigo he was seeing his world again, then he was on the ground in a body that was without pain.

"_If anyone receives this message, this is Asahi Uzumaki. I'll make this brief: find the Truth at the center of Uzu. If you can hear this, you are a fellow Uzumaki that understands this world is not as it seems. They're already here…do not trust Konoha's lies._

* * *

He looked at his still-present arm with disbelief. Naruto tried climbing to his feet quickly, but his dizziness made it a difficult task. Again, he looked at his surroundings to see Konoha buildings. Buildings that shouldn't exist anymore, at least not the way he was seeing them.

He looked at the reflection in a mirror and noticed his far-too-young appearance. He had his headband, so he was a ninja already. His familiar old orange clothing was on him and he noticed he had a backpack on for the first time. He took it off quickly and gasped at what he saw; he recognized this particular selection. He remembered picking everything, so excited for his first 'real mission.'

Goosebumps collected on his skin as tears gathered in his eyes. He broke into a sprint for the Konoha Gate. When he saw them, he skidded to halt. He had no idea what they thought, but the confused look in everyone's eyes made it obvious this wasn't the state they expected him to be in.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked mockingly. "Scared of your first real mission?"

To the shock of all present, Naruto didn't rise to the taunt and wiped away his tears. "I'm just…glad."

"Are you...doing alright?" Kakashi asked awkwardly.

Even Sakura looked concerned. They were all here, alive. He was back to that day. This was a chance to start over.

"Let's do this!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically, catching everyone off guard with his attitude shift.

Naruto excitedly ran out of Konoha's gate. He was laughing as his whole team looked on like he was crazy. Sasuke sighed and went back to his typically stoic attitude.

"What's with him?" Sakura wondered aloud. "He's weirder than usual. First, we had to wait because he forgot his stupid backpack, and now he's acting like a maniac!"

Kakashi just sighed and they followed Naruto out the front gate. He nearly sighed again when he realized who Naruto was about to see.

Naruto looked at their client and gave a big smile. "Tazuna-san, how are ya?"

Tazuna's mouth gaped. "Why the hell are you talking to me like we're pals, you brat? I can't believe I'm supposed to entrust my life to this little orange joke."

That made Naruto angrier than it probably should. He gritted his teeth and growled as he thought of all the great comebacks he could give.

"I'm a Jōnin," Kakashi cut in. "I'll handle anything they throw at us."

As they walked on, Naruto walked in silence. He unzipped his jacket and thought hard about what he should do. Telling anyone he was from the future was obviously off the table. There was little to no chance anyone would believe him; they would insist he 'get help.' In any case, there wasn't much to gain from telling anyone anyway.

Naturally, he should find out where that weird message came from. Asahi Uzumaki…He'd never heard that name before. He'd never been to Uzu either, which was a little strange now that he'd thought about it.

He had to stop himself from reacting when he saw the puddle on the ground. It was already at that point…

He stopped along with the rest of his group when 'Kakashi' was wrapped with sharp chains and torn to shreds. Sakura's screams were blocked out in his mind as he made a cross handseal, remembering to try and hold back appropriately.

He felt a familiar surge of chakra as the two attacking ninjas tried to rush him.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A puff of smoke, but nothing happened. The Jutsu felt all wrong. No, he couldn't manipulate his chakra the way he had a million times. He froze and gaped at the empty air. Sasuke threw a shuriken and a Kunai, binding the chain that connected both ninjas, but Naruto didn't even acknowledge what happened next.

'_My Jutsu didn't work!' _

Panicked, Naruto made another handseal and tried to create a clone. And he did it again and again to no avail. He snapped out of it when he heard a chain disconnect from their gauntlets. One of the ninjas charged straight for him and he pulled out a kunai on instinct. He deflected the attacks until Kakashi swooped in and took out both ninja out in a second.

Naruto stared at his hand, unwounded this time, in incredulity. _'My Jutsu doesn't work. I can't use it…I'm weaker than I was the first time we fought Zabuza and Haku! At this rate…_

"Don't worry," Kakashi said, noticing his distress. "A lot of people can't work up the concentration to cast a Jutsu their first time in battle. You pulled out a kunai and fought when you needed to, so don't feel too bad."

He was wrong though. He wasn't panicking on his first mission; he was unable to mold his chakra. And he was about to face one of his biggest challenges without his greatest tools.

**Author's Note: Phew! You might consider this a total reboot of my Demon Investigator story. And you'd be right! This won't be a Gamer fic though. That, of course, means that this is a crossover with Megami Tensei, which YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW ABOUT. In fact, I'm counting on it. I'm hoping I might sway someone to the Megami Tensei games with this. Persona is probably the most famous Megami Tensei game in the verse, but you might also recognize Catherine. Also, this is a Naruto/fem Haku story. Kind of. She/he was a man in the original timeline which means she is trans! This will play a role later. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2

_"A peculiar affliction ails me." That was the thought I had when I awoke one day to find that my ability to perform Jutsu had left me. The doctors couldn't explain, and they called it "a psychological problem." They held such pity in their gaze and I despaired, wondering if I was no longer fit to lead my people. I looked in the mirror the next day and saw a shell of what I was, my hair more gray than red and lines on my face that made me seem decades older. I wondered what I had done to enact this curse upon myself. But I had a revelation when I constructed my newest Matrix. Sealing was easier than ever and that was only the beginning. I realize now that chakra has held us all back. This is no curse; it is a sign of my evolution (Uzumaki Asahi, The Truth of the Shinobi World)._

Naruto looked at his hand like it wasn't his own. How could he not use his Jutsu? The amount of times he used a Shadow Clone seemed limitless, but he couldn't even make one.

"Well, I guess we should head back," Kakashi said noncommittally, looking in Naruto's direction lazily.

Naruto snapped out of it and looked at Kakashi surprised. _'Didn't we almost turn back last time because I was poisoned?' _Then, he realized what was happening and narrowed his eyes, angry with himself. '_I get it. He's worried about how I'm doing mentally. He's giving me a chance to turn back. No, he's giving us all a chance to turn back.'_

"We have to keep going," Naruto said with surprising calm. "We can handle this!"

Sasuke only nodded and Sakura, who looked less sure, nodded as well.

Kakashi smiled. "Well, all right. Team 7's first mission will continue. We weren't told that there would be ninja, but these ninjas aren't on a level we can't handle."

Everyone looked more unified after that, but Naruto only followed them silently. He wondered if he should try to contact Kurama, but deep down he knew there was no point. He felt it when he made it back to the past; his friend was gone.

The chakra he could feel through the seal was different than it was before he made it back. He lost his ability to sense emotion, but he could still get a read on the chakra sealed in his own body. It seemed more hateful somehow.

He had to resist letting himself express sadness. He could grieve his friends when he's alone. Besides, Kurama is still alive, just without the experiences that got them cooperating.

He decided to concentrate on trying to mold chakra to create Jutsu, but throughout the whole journey, he made no progress.

Sitting in the small wooden boat that drifted silently through the fog, Naruto and his team sat quietly, observing the looming figure of an incomplete bridge. Naruto contemplated his next move. The first battle with Zabuza would begin soon, but he wasn't ready for it.

Kakashi looked sharply at Tazuna. "So, Mr. Tazuna, why were those ninjas after you? If you don't say, I'll just have to end this mission when we reach the shore."

Naruto only half-listened to the explanation that followed. He already knew about the shipping magnate Gato and his shady business practices, or so he thought.

Naruto reeled in his mind over the things Gato was doing. Drugs and contraband…was Gato that bad? He barely remembered Gato from his earliest days as a Genin. When was the last time he had heard anything about drugs? It was an uncomfortable reality of his world he'd never had to deal with.

He gave an uncomfortable moan as he clutched the side of the boat. Was he really that unconcerned with the darker aspects of his world? He paled little. _'Should a Hokage be this ignorant about the world he rules? What else have I been ignoring?'_

"Naruto…?" Sakura said, worry etched across her face and carried through her tone. "You've been acting so weird ever since this mission started. You haven't said a word since that battle! You keep zoning out and not saying anything. It's creepy!"

Sasuke looked interested in the exchange and Kakashi was feeling worried for his student.

_'Is this still about that battle?' _Kakashi wondered. _'Maybe he's thinking about quitting being a ninja…That would be a problem for a whole host of reasons. Then again, he's been acting strange even before that.'_ Kakashi almost let his surprise show on his face. _'Maybe his chakra problem isn't related to the battle at all. Could it have something to do with the Kyuubi? That might explain the strange attitude.'_

Naruto scratched the back of his head and let out a weak chuckle. "I was just thinking that…maybe I'm not ready to be Hokage yet. I still have a lot to learn about how the world works…or something like that."

Sasuke only raised an eyebrow at him, but Sakura openly gaped. _'That actually sounded kind of…mature?'_

Kakashi kept his skepticism to himself and ruffled Naruto's hair. "Don't worry so much. You're still young, so you're not supposed to know everything yet; That's my job."

Naruto smiled gratefully but winced a bit internally. _'I'm older than you think, Kakashi-sensei.'_

Kakashi watched as Naruto resumed gazing at their destination. _'I'll have to talk to him when we make it to our destination.'_

Naruto opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by darkness once again. His eyes widened when he saw the only other person there. "Am I dead again?"

"No," Jashin assured. "Right now, you're staring into space in the real world. This will be the last time we speak like this."

Naruto was hit with a series of memories. His team was attacked by Zabuza and Naruto tried to be useful, but Kakashi was still caught in a Water Prison Jutsu. He was useless fighting against someone like Zabuza with no Jutsu.

"I have to get back to the fight! If I don't do something, everyone will…!" He bit his tongue. He couldn't bring himself to admit out loud that he was about to cause all their deaths again.

"Calm yourself, Naruto. Time moves differently here. This conversation does not need to be rushed."

"What do you want?"

Jashin put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him, but Naruto balked at the gangly man in front of him, black skin like and white markings like bone covering his emaciated body. His hair shined silver through the darkness.

Naruto stepped back reflexively and Jashin smiled. "Good! You see what is really here now. The last time you were here, I had already cut you off from your chakra. Now that you see me, you are ready."

"_You're _the reason I can't use my Jutsu!? Give me my chakra back!" If he could use his Jutsu, he could save them after all.

"It's not so simple. You needed to be separated from your false power for good so you could fulfill your purpose. Dig deeper and tap into the power far below the surface. I've laid the groundwork so you could arrive at this moment! Death, revival, and cutting you off from that false power was all for this."

Naruto could feel fear creep into his heart. "What the hell are you talking about? What are you getting out of all this?"

"It doesn't matter," Jashin stated calmly. "The reality is that your friends will all die again because you don't have what it takes to save them, but I can tell you how to get the power you need."

Naruto bit back an angry reply and all the fight he had drained from his body. "How?"

Jashin smiled happily, but on his black face it only came across as creepy. "Draw on your emotion. Think back to the time your friends died if you must and gather energy. There's no way for me to explain what you do next but to say that you must bear your emotions and call out beyond this world for help. Should fate favor you, something will head your call."

"Something?" Naruto asked, curious about the word choice. "Like what?"

"A demon," Jashin said.

Naruto drew the line at that. "No way! If I wanted to deal with demons, I'd turn to the one already in my stomach!"

"This isn't the same. All you must do is form a contract and they will be your staunch ally. Demons are not necessarily evil or malicious but if they are, they will do as you say or leave your world."

"Why should I trust anything you say?" Naruto demanded.

Jashin stared at him. "If you do not, you and your friends will die. Let's say you manage to formulate a plan to save your friends this time, what of the next time? And the time after that? Are you going to rely on cobbled together plans to survive you through all your battles?"

He wanted to deny it, but he might never be able to wield chakra the same way again. Even if he could, that was a lot of battles between then and now he'd have to win by the seat of his pants.

Seeing that Naruto had fallen silent, Jashin continued. "Dig deep, below your chakra and below your physical form. Reach into your very soul! Use your magic."

He grabbed Naruto's arm and it started burning with intensity. Naruto pushed his arm away and screamed, falling to his knees.

When he hit the ground, he found himself in the real world, everyone staring at him.

"Naruto, what happened?" Sasuke demanded.

Naruto contained his screams and observed the situation. It was exactly as he left it, Kakashi trapped in a water prison and the rest of the team facing off with Zabuza's clone.

The pain faded as Naruto began doing what Jashin said. He shakily got to his feet and felt the wind start to pick up around him. He could feel a familiar energy in himself he hadn't noticed until now. It was like the power he felt before he went back to the past and similar to the aura Jashin exuded.

Zabuza narrowed his eyes. "Hmm? What are you doing, boy?"

He tried to dig deeper inward for some hidden power. Perhaps because he had been doing something comparable with chakra all his life, he found the energy within himself quickly and focused on drawing it out.

His body was enveloped in green light as wind formed his hands. The name of the spell came naturally him. "Garu!"

Wind shot out of Naruto's hand towards Zabuza's clone at a pace even his clone found wanting. Dodging with ease, Zabuza's clone turned to Naruto. "You've had a trick like this up your sleeve? Not that it matters. That was barely above a Low Genin-level attack."

Naruto grew angry and felt his magic continuing to build. Awakening the power was bringing a surge of energy he felt wouldn't last long. Wind engulfed his other arm and looked to Sasuke, hoping to silently communicate his intentions. Sasuke wiped the shock off his face and walked up to him. Naruto communicated his plan and Sasuke smirked. He pulled a Fūma Shuriken from his backpack, holding it out dramatically.

"Demon Wind Shuriken!"

He tried focusing on all his emotions, but mostly on his will to save his friends. "Magaru!" he shouted as green energy kicked up around him. Two blades of green wind shot at Zabuza and his clone at a speed several times greater than before.

Zabuza prepared to deflect the attack. _'So, he attacked both of us.'_

The clone simply dodged but Zabuza brought the massive sword on his back to guard his front. Before it reached him, it exploded, and water hit him with surprising force. _'That was nothing like the last attack. Where's all this power coming from…?'_

The scattering water separated and showed a Fūma Shuriken spinning towards him. Expecting this, Zabuza dodged but was caught off guard by the second shuriken, He simply jumped over it but failed to notice the orange-clothed kid flying towards him.

"Garu!"

_'Did he propel himself with the wind!?' _Zabuza thought, panicked.

Wind shot out and Zabuza instinctively dodged left, letting go of the Water Prison Jutsu holding Kakashi hostage. The brat landed in the water and Zabuza had rarely ever let himself succumb to such fury. Zabuza Momochi outplayed by children!

Naruto could barely feel himself dragging his body to shore. In fact, he could swear that he was fading in and out of conciseness. It defied logic that he was able to survive. He made it and grabbed a low branch for support, pulling himself up before he collapsed to the ground with his eyes shut. He never felt this exhausted before.

_'Hm? Why don't I hear fighting?' _There was no way Kakashi and Zabuza finished their fight already.

He tried to look in their direction but when he opened his eyes, he saw something strange. Kakashi and Zabuza stopped fighting for good reason.

Everyone held their breath as the air itself changed. The sky changed color subtly and the atmosphere grew heavier. A blue humanoid shape had drug Naruto out of the water and hovered over him, about as small as a young child or even smaller.

Naruto tried to say something, but his energy left him all at once. His eyes rolled back as he lost grip on his conciseness. The last thing he saw was a blue light fading away.

**Author's Note: Sorry this took so long and sorry for the long Author's Note! Life got in my way, but I finally have an outline in my head of exactly where I want this arc to take us. This chapter will probably be as close as we'll get to canon for a while. Stick around! The next chapters are going to be mad. Let's just say we won't see a traditional bridge battle scene. I plan on making Naruto a Demon Hunter that is a part of an official organization. Sorry if that doesn't jive with what you guys expected. **

**Spells work a little differently than Jutsu. Spell names do not have translated names because they are not Japanese. Here's a quick guide, though I'll be describing everything through the story so feel free to not read this note. This is more for people who might be excited by future abilities. There are physical skills that are obviously just physical attacks. They fall under the categories of phys and gun. Garu is wind, agi is fire, bufu is ice, aqua is water, zio is lightning, hama is light, and mudo is dark. There is an array of personal and combination magics as well, especially in the higher tiers of demonology. The prefix "ma" means it's an attack for multiple people, attacking two or more targets. For instance, "maragi" would be an attack using multiple fireballs. The suffixes change once the power of the attack changes significantly. "Dyne" indicates the highest-level magic and is a measurement used in physics. Magic also scales to the power of its user for the most part. Hope**


	3. Chapter 3

**"In time you will have a Student of your own. That student will become a ninja that will bring great change to the world of Shinobi. It will be of either great stability or great destruction. The kind the world has never seen. You will be the one that will guide this revolutionary (Gamamaru, the Great Toad Sage talking to Jiraiya).**

Naruto startled awake to find himself in the very familiar sewer system that represented his mindscape. He never came here this early last time, but maybe at this point, he shouldn't be surprised when something was different.

He followed the familiar path to where he knew the Kyuubi was. Maybe he would have some answers, not that he would give them if he did. He was a whole other level of stubborn the last time.

Soon enough, he walked into an open room with a massive metal gate standing between himself and the infamous Kyuubi.

He tried to keep his sadness from showing when he realized that Kurama's eyes held no familiarity. He was sure of it now more than ever: His friend didn't remember anything.

**"Shall I shake hands with my new jailer?" **the Kyuubi asked sarcastically. **"Come close and I'll show you a proper greeting."**

_'The fact that he's joking is a good sign…probably.' _Naruto didn't flinch, recoil, or react much at all to the Kyuubi's taunt which is why said Tailed Beast furrowed his brow in confusion.

**"You don't seem as afraid as you should be. If I were you, I would turn around and leave before I lose my good humor. Being trapped in a cage will do that to you."**

Naruto decided then that he would tell him everything. He was the one person that he wouldn't lose anything by convincing them he was nuts and the only person he would gain from having them believe him.

"I know your name," Naruto said after several moments of silence.

A low growl built in the Kyuubi's throat. **"And say I believe you. How did you come across such information? Written in a book? Etched in an ancient stone? I hate to disappoint you but knowing a demon's name does not grant you power over them."**

Naruto could feel hope climb in his chest. Maybe he knew more about demons than he ever had the chance to ask. "I know your name because you gave it. I was sent back to this time by someone who calls himself Jashin. I think he's a demon like you. Or maybe a Shinigami or something."

He looked vaguely interested at that. **"A distinction without a difference. Your lack of sanity means nothing to me, human. But if what you say is true, you'd best be cautious."**

Apparently, he had said his fill as he laid his head on his paw, readying himself for sleep. But Naruto wasn't done. "Your name is Kurama, and you told me that because you chose to be my ally! I'm not asking for your trust, but please tell me about what you know. I have no idea what's happening, but I almost summoned a demon, I think." Desperation leaked into every syllable.

The Kyuubi looked at him with an indecipherable look. **"Hmph. You're the first human to say my name in many years. Do it again and I'll rip the tongue out of your body. I killed a few Jashinists many years ago, back when there were a lot of them. The last time demons crossed from their world into this one, chakra was born. If you almost summoned a demon…"** He let his words hang ominously.

He gave Naruto a look that said he was sick of him as he laid his head back down to sleep. Honestly, Naruto was surprised it went as well as it did. He must have caught him in a good mood, he reasoned. Though, he didn't feel like he got anything useful.

Walking away from the cage, the reality of his situation sunk in for Naruto for the first time. He was the only person who knew about what would happen. A terrible emotion he feared more than any other crept up on him…loneliness.

Naruto didn't notice the Kyuubi open one of its massive eyes to stare at him warily.

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes, adjusting to the sudden light. He blinked through his eyes' sensitivity and looked around the empty, familiar room. He was in Tazuna's house again.

He sat up and fought the surprising level of exhaustion. Using wind attacks no one has seen and…whatever happened after that with the blue light was bound to draw attention to him and provoke questions. Naruto let out a short breath and began searching for his team.

When Naruto walked into the hallway, he saw Kakashi leaning against a wall waiting for him. He was going to force an awkward smile and say 'Hey, Kakashi-sensei,' but the words died in his throat when he caught a glimpse of the outside world through the window.

"Kakashi-sensei, why is everything out there so...?" He wasn't sure how to describe it.

He ran up to the window and looked outside. The sky was a shade of purple and the air seemed to still under the influence of an unseen force. Most jarringly, the sky had developed long, crooked cracks that stretched and branched in every direction.

"I was hoping you would know something, actually," Kakashi said, giving Naruto a scanning look.

"What do you mean? What happened after I passed out, Kakashi-sensei!?" Naruto asked, panic overtaking him. How had events played out so differently and so quickly? The only answer he could come to was that he had caused this somehow.

Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Naruto. Everyone's fine and nothing too crazy happened yet. I just wanted to ask you some questions."

Naruto forced himself to calm down, a little embarrassed by his lack of control. "How long was I asleep?"

"A few days," Kakashi answered. "The sky has been getting more and more…odd as time goes by."

Naruto pushed down his anxiety. "What are those questions you wanted to ask?"

Kakashi looked out the window with his one eye at the state of the sky. He was trying to maintain his laid-back demeanor, probably for his sake, but he was obviously stressed.

"You started flinging wind around like you'd been training for months and you were saved by a mysterious light. Soon after, all this craziness started happening and the sky looks like it's about to fall apart. I don't suppose you have any idea what's happening?"

Naruto tried to parse his thoughts for a bit of truth that wouldn't make him sound totally insane. "A short while ago, I was saved by someone who called himself Jashin."

Kakashi raised his brow. "So, you were saved by a guy who named himself after a god of death?"

"I don't know," Naruto answered honestly. "He was able to do really crazy things that didn't seem like Jutsu at all. And afterward, I was able to do things I shouldn't be able to do. I think…he was a demon."

Kakashi's gaze sharpened. "A demon? That doesn't make sense. Did it have tails?"

Naruto shook his head. "He wasn't like a Tailed Beast at all. He looked completely human, but there was something…weird about him. His presence, ya know?"

"A demon, but not a Tailed Beast? I might have heard a couple of rumors about that sort of thing, but I never imagined…Well, at the very least you believe you're telling the truth. We'll have to look into this Jashin character after this mission."

Naruto smiled. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei. Is the mission still ongoing?"

Kakashi sighed. "You'd think the moment the sky turned purple would be the moment Gato gave up on his scheming, but you'd be wrong. The bridge needs building and we still need to guard it. Ah, I forgot to mention that Zabuza is still on the prowl and he has a helper dressed as a hunter-nin. We'll get them next time but don't forget to train, okay?"

Naruto could feel his stomach twist. They still had to fight Zabuza and Haku. He looked up at the now cracked sky unsettled.

* * *

He sat on the ground staring at his hands and cursing himself. No matter how hard Naruto tried, his chakra was unreachable. Likewise, when he tried to form wind with magic the way he did before, he couldn't. He could still use Garu, but the power he achieved with it just the other day was out of reach. He couldn't use Magaru either, which meant he couldn't throw multiple attacks at once.

He stood and tried running up the tree again as Kakashi suggested but immediately slid off, landing on the ground awkwardly. His frustration boiled over. "Damnit!" he screamed, smashing his fist into the ground.

Kakashi took it upon himself to try and help him despite knowing it might hurt his pride, but nothing he said had gotten him any further up the tree. Sasuke tried to compete with him but the interaction didn't spark a competitive spirit in him as it had in the past. Slowly, he realized that all his bonds had changed too much for him to pretend like nothing happened.

He shifted his eyes to watch Sasuke's attempts at completing his training. At one point he would have given anything to have Sasuke train with him like old times as a Konoha Shinobi. Now, looking at him gave him an uncomfortable wariness he couldn't dispel. He supposed that he couldn't just trust Sasuke immediately after everything he had done.

Frustrated, he raked his fingers through his hair. _'That's not right. This isn't the same Sasuke that did all that stuff. Besides, I was ready to forgive him anyway, right? What was I planning to do when I saved him? I guess I would have seen him thrown in prison…'_

He was broken out of his musing when Sasuke paused his training to glare at him. "What do you want, loser?"

Naruto could almost feel a retort come to him, but it was lost in his somber mood. "You should ask Sakura for help," he said seriously before picking himself up and leaving. His relationships with his precious people would never be the same even if he tried his best to change nothing.

Sasuke had formed an odd bond with his blonde teammate. It was built on them throwing insults at each other, competing too fiercely, and understanding each other's plights. Lately, however, Sasuke found that Naruto's demeanor had changed significantly. He seemed on edge most of the time like he was on the lookout for enemies. Or he was contemplative, an attribute he would have never attributed him before. Not that he would admit it, but he was worried.

Sasuke looked at the disparate people as he walked alongside Tazuna, Naruto, and Sakura. He might not admit it but seeing the starving people had touched him in a way. Whoever did this deserved punishment. No one could cause this much suffering and be allowed to walk freely. For many of these people, Gato was their Itachi; committing unimaginable acts of cruelty for their own selfish ends.

Sasuke kept the glare that often came with thinking of his brother off his face and looked at Naruto. He was scanning everyone and everything they passed with a focus he'd never seen the blonde exercise. Naruto said he was taking a break from training to escort Tazuna around for a while and Sasuke was so curious that he decided to tag along.

He had been acting…differently for the last few days. He would have thought that his teammate's first mission had scared the obnoxiousness out of him, but he was acting just as unusual right before they left. Though he was loathed to admit it, he often held a sense of kinship with the idiot, so his atypically dour disposition bothered Sasuke immensely.

Naruto and Sakura looked heartbroken when several children, dressed in rags, asked them for anything they could afford to give. "Why…?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke wasn't sure what he meant but Tazuna answered. "Gato has no decency. He'll starve, torture, or kill anyone that stands in the way of his profits. It seems you can buy anything with money, including human life. You need money to fight back, too. Thank Kami your sensei was kind enough to go over his village's head."

Kakashi put himself on the line, Sasuke realized. Tazuna spun a tale about his son and how he was brutalized by Gato set an example. Naruto stormed off and Sakura called his name weakly, looking surprisingly sympathetic.

Sasuke followed him and when he found him, he was clenching his fist, staring at a run-down building. He noticed Sasuke approaching and said, "It's all so…different than I expected."

"What's different?"

"The world," he answered. "Everything. Drugs, torture, violence. How am I supposed to be a Hokage and protect everyone if I don't even understand what I'm protecting them from?"

"You have to learn," Sasuke said, shrugging. "It's just like training, right? If there's an area you're weak in, you have work on it. You'll just have to face the bad parts of the world head-on and not back down. It sounds like something you would do."

Naruto looked surprised and he couldn't blame him. "Sasuke…"

"Never backing down despite being in-over-your-head sounds perfectly suited to an idiot like you," he finished cockily.

Naruto's face contorted into familiar agitation. "You!"

"Loser."

"Jerk!"

Sasuke was happy to note that he seemed to cheer up a bit, not that he would admit it.

* * *

On his back after intensive training he at the ever-fragmenting sky, considering what he had seen during his walk around town. So many people were starving and suffering so greatly but the second he left Wave the last time, he had forgotten the extent of their plight.

Tazuna had come to Konoha during its reconstruction with a happy grin and good news. That was the only time he had ever seen Tazuna or heard about Wave's situation in a long time and it was purely by chance.

Everything was so much worse than he ever cared to remember. The story he heard about Wave's hero, Tazuna's son, was more gruesome than he expected.

_"His arms were purple; completely destroyed," said Tazuna grimly. "If by some miracle we had saved him, I don't think we could have saved his arms. Such monstrous cruelty…"_

Naruto rolled on his side, trying to shake the words from his head.

_'Did I turn away from these difficult things? I was worried that not saving my friend would make me an unworthy Hokage, but I might not have taken it seriously. What does it mean to be Hokage? I don't think I've thought about it enough.'_

With that, Naruto slipped into unconsciousness. He was roused from his restless sleep when he could feel someone shaking him.

"Are you okay?" a sincere, girly voice asked.

He opened his eyes and saw a beautiful woman in a pink kimono staring with concern. He almost let a "pretty" slip past his lips, but he snapped awake and sat up quickly.

It was Haku! He hadn't seen him in so many years…but he would never forget his face.

"I'm okay," Naruto said with a smile more genuine than any he'd worn the last few days.

Haku relaxed a little. "You looked like you were having a bad dream." Haku paused and looked at him. "That headband…"

Naruto unconsciously played with his headband. "This? It means I'm a ninja from Konoha."

"I see…Are you out here training, perhaps?"

He nodded. "I have to get stronger." He knew this was how the conversation went last time, but he was hanging on every word.

"Why?" Haku asked simply.

Despite knowing the simple question was coming and despite its simplicity, the words gave him pause. "I…want to protect the people I care about."

A smile came to Haku's lips. "We're of like minds. When someone protects someone precious to them, they become truly strong. That's what I believe."

Naruto nodded in contentment. "So, what are you doing here, miss?" The last word slipped out despite him knowing Haku was a man. He couldn't help it. The last time he saw him, he had said Haku was 'prettier than Sakura.'

Haku lifted the basket in his hand. "I'm gathering herbs for my friend. He was hurt recently, but it isn't very bad."

Naruto could have asked about his "friend," but he knew it would be pointless, so he just nodded again. He had heard from his sensei that their battle hadn't lasted as long and neither of them was hurt as badly.

Haku stood up to leave and Naruto panicked a bit. "Wait!"

Haku stopped in surprise and his hand instinctively twitched in preparation for conflict.

"You don't have to leave right away, do you?" Naruto asked.

Haku looked surprised, then conflicted. "I suppose not."

Naruto wanted to ask what he thought about being Hokage, but he found himself more curious about Haku and what he would say. "What's your dream?"

Haku looked surprised, then conflicted again. "I…want to support the dreams of my precious person…"

"Not that!" he reprimanded. "What do you want for yourself? It doesn't have to be big. What kind of hobbies do you have? Maybe it relates to that?"

Haku glanced at the basket in his hand and with a guilty look said, "Actually, I like plants quite a bit. I've studied Herbology extensively and I- I've always wanted a private garden."

"That's awesome! I like gardening, too. I have a plant named Mr. Ukki I was planning to give to Kakashi-sensei."

His face lit up. Why did he say that? He never tells anyone about that. But the giggle that escaped Haku made the blunder worth it.

"I should be so lucky," Haku joked. "I'd love to see Mr. Ukki."

The conversation gradually de-escalated from serious topics as they talked for a while. It was difficult to keep track of time because of the sky, but he was pretty sure it had been only an hour when Haku made to leave again. "I really must be going," he said.

Naruto was sad, but he was overwhelmed by the feeling that he missed something. As Haku stood, he was struck by a memory of their first interaction.

_"By the way, I'm a boy," Haku said, causing Naruto's jaw to drop. _

_'N-No way. He's prettier than Sakura…"_

It was something like that, he recalled. Driven by a force he couldn't understand, he wanted to pay a compliment. "You're really pretty!"

Haku's face lit up as he stuttered a "W-What?"

"You're even prettier than Sakura and she's the prettiest girl I know!" Naruto had never had the chance to see Haku blush like this and he was enjoying it. "It's hard to believe you're a guy."

Suddenly, the blush left his skin and he frowned heavily. "Do I look boyish to you?"

Naruto was confused. "That's the opposite of what I said, though."

"I'm leaving!" he said, turning to walk away. "I'm a girl, by the way."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "What!?"

"Idiot," she said with no malice, only sadness. She walked off leaving Naruto reeling.

_'How is that possible? Was h-she lying to me the first time? Why would she?' _

Naruto was faced with the very real possibility that things had changed beyond what he had influence over.

_The boundary between real and imaginary is as thin as the page, and just as easily torn (Magic: The Gathering, Into the Story card text)._


End file.
